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“First of all, I didn't know you two were so involved when I conspired with his mother on the new agreement. I had no idea that he… that Trey loves you.” I arch a brow and take a sip of bourbon while holding her imploring gaze over the rim of the glass. “He told me after, but honestly, it wouldn't have changed anything. I'm nothing, no one without being tied to someone like him. Sure, I have some pull, but with Trey, with the Hawthorne and Benson families tied together like this, I'll finally be someone in this town.”

I feel my lips tug downward. “You're saying you’re nothing without a man to stand behind?”

Her slim shoulders rise and fall in a small shrug. “We can't all be like you, Randi.” Her voice is low, but the bite in each word snags my attention.

“Sure you can.” Not sure what the hell possesses me to do so, but I reach out and gently squeeze her thin arm. “Who says you can't?”

She shakes her head. When her gaze finally lifts from the floor, there are tears dampening her lower lids. “Everyone but you,” she chokes out. “I've used my looks and my family name to get where I am today, but that will only last for so long. I need him to survive in this town, Randi. I'm not saying I'll ever compete with you for his love. You already have it. All I'm asking is to borrow him in a way.”

Maybe this is my role in this city. To show all these ass-backward medieval-thinking asshats that we don't need a man to stand behind to be seen. Fuck that.

Maybe that's why I love Trey like I do. He's never asked me to stand behind him, never made me feel like—

What the what?

Maybe that’s why IloveTrey?

This isn't the first time the phrase has flitted through my mind, but itisthe first time I've said it and had my heart swell with the word.

Good thing it's not bad timing or anything.

“I don't want to hurt you, Randi,” Jessica says, drawing my attention back to the conversation. “I like you. You're amazing, and I want to continue working with you and helping you get a foothold here in DC. I have your back, I swear. I just need him too. It's a long history between our two families. His mother wasn't the only one pushing this coupling.”

“Agh,” I growl. “Coupling. It sounds so ancient. Did y’all’s parents just readPride and Prejudiceor something? I swear this is a play created by the evil aunt from that book.”

Jessica smiles. “If you knew the inner workings of this town, the deals and bargains made, you'd realize this is all a tragedy, not a romance.”

Well, shit. Her words constrict my heart in a vice grip.

Why didn't I just stop all this when I had the chance? Guilt rolls in my gut, turning the bourbon sour.

“I really don't have a choice, do I?” I say on a heavy sigh. “Let's agree on one thing. I won't stop this, but it won't last forever.” Her smile falls. “But in the meantime, we work on you and this town. Let everyone see I'm not the only strong woman in this city, that you don't need a man to prove your importance.”

“Madam Vice President.”

Jessica whips around to find the owner of the voice just down the hall.

“Todd,” I say. “Haven't seen you around in a while. What's shakin’?”Seriously? What the hell is wrong with me?

“I'll leave you two alone,” Jessica murmurs. Turning back to me, she searches my eyes. “Thank you, Randi. For everything.” With that, she ducks her head and slips past Todd to head back in to the celebration.

“We need to talk,” he says, following Jessica out with his eyes on her ass.

I snap my fingers, drawing his attention back to me. “Then talk.”

“I know about your meeting in Chile with the Russian president,” he says too loudly for my liking.

“Shh,” I scold. “That's on a need-to-know basis.”

He steps closer, bordering on entering my personal space.

“Do you know what that means?”

“I get a discount on vodka?”

His brows furrow in a scowl. “This isn't funny, Miss Sawyer.” He says my name like a curse. “That country has been tied in years past to espionage, collusion on cyberattacks, and much, much more. What the hell do you think you're doing?”

Pursing my lips, I force a tight smile. “Pretty sure I don't answer to you, Mr. Secretary. I don't have to explain anything to you. Now get out of my way. I need another drink.”